17. Damian

Chapter seventeen

Damian

T he words of the parchment came back to me. "I have planted the seeds of companionship for you." It looked as if Owen was about to cry, but I just shook my head.

"I think you've been set up. I think we've both been set up. I went to the parchment, picked up the quill, and gestured Owen over. "Come, I'll try to get the parchment to show me the words from before."

When Owen stood beside me, I touched the quill to the parchment and said, "Show me the message from before."

As if the parchment understood what I was asking, the paragraph I was talking about came up where it would've been in the message. The rest of the message was blank.

Besides struggling with financial concerns, I have suffered great loneliness during my service as the Legacy Wizard. I do not wish that upon you. I have planted the seeds of companionship for you. However, no one, not even a wizard as powerful as us, has the power to force someone to love another.

"I think you're the seeds," I said, and when I glanced at Owen, I noticed he was pale. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He swallowed hard, then nodded. "I-I'm not ready to marry you or be a companion. I mean, I like you, but you know, we've not even had sex. I-I just… This is a lot."

"Wait, don't freak out yet. Even the old wizard admitted no one can force you to love me or anyone for that matter. I think the old man wanted there to be companionship. Come back downstairs. Orville," I called, and the ghost appeared.

"Your former employer seems to have a sense of humor and had all Owen's belongings sent here and, of course, rented his apartment to someone else. I don't want him to feel like he has to sleep with me. Is there a space where Owen can have his own room?"

Orville seemed to be thinking, then smiled. "Yes, it's a room that's not been used for a long time. It's also rather small, but it's a safe room where the original owner's children would play. Come, I'll show you."

We followed Orville back down to the first floor and into the library. "He bent down and pointed at a copy of C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe .

"Please tug that book out," he said to Owen. Owen complied, and when he did, the entire wall slid open .

The room was indeed small and dusty. However, it was bigger than my bedroom in my apartment. Luckily, there was a dusty window in the wall as well. "This has potential, huh?" I asked, and Owen stared at the space.

"It's a secret room off the library," he said, his mouth agape.

"That's a good thing, right?" I asked.

He narrowed his eyes at Orville. "How many ghosts use this room?" he asked.

Orville winked at him. "None that I know of. We prefer a furnished place as much as any other, and as I told you before, we prefer to dwell in the basement. I can ban them from bothering you in this room. However, if I do that, they'll all want to see it, of course."

Owen managed a laugh. "Curiosity doesn't change once we die, it seems."

"Most certainly not. If anything, it makes us more curious. Will this do, Mr. Lloyd?" he asked.

"This is perfect, but it has to be cleaned, and I'll need a bed. Can we do more magic?" Owen asked.

"No," I said, "I think we've exhausted the magic for now. Orville, the bed I had in the attic last night felt new. What happened to it?"

"I don't know, sir. We aren't privy to the knowledge of your predecessor, but I watched him enough to know he could often use what had already been created, even when he needed rest. Maybe if the bed is in the ether, you can just summon it back? Emma," he called, and the ghost appeared before him. " Can you and Alice clean this room? I will take Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Richards to the kitchen to prepare lunch for them. I'm sure they are rather famished by now."

Her eyes grew large when she saw the room. "Shall I ask cook to prepare something, sir?" she asked without looking away from the hidden space.

"No, cook will be plenty busy in the coming months. For now, I hope sandwiches will do?" he asked, turning toward Owen and me.

Both of us nodded and followed Orville out of the room. He closed the door behind him, and then the music room door closed as well. Apparently, ghosts didn't like to be watched when they cleaned.

Oh well, if it kept me from dusting and cleaning the old space, then so be it. We ate ham and cheese sandwiches while Orville explained how he'd seen the old wizard bring things in and out of the ether. "I understand you will develop a sixth sense, an intuition about your magic, so I would encourage you to do so. If the items already exist, I am sure they aren't disposed of just because of the spells he cast to redecorate the home."

I knew what he was saying was correct. When Emma and Alice appeared, rather dusty and exhausted, I stopped and stared at them. "Listen, I want you to know how much I appreciate you. You too, Orville. You don't owe me anything, certainly not cleaning my home, but thank you for your willingness, especially with Owen being tricked into moving here."

Both women smiled, then looked down. "Thank you, sir," they said simultaneously and disappeared.

Orville was smiling but quickly hid it when I turned back toward him. "Come, sir, let's go see the space, and then you can try to bring the furniture back that you remember."